Statistical Highlights
Notable Findings
(Not applicable for findings, but the document shows notable methodological strengths: uses culturally sensitive questions on language, traditional foods, residential schools, and personal wellness alongside standard health indicators, gathered by trained local field workers using laptop-based surveys to ensure data privacy and ease of collection.)
Abstract
This document presents the full child-level questionnaire used for the 2008/10 First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS), which gathered detailed health, developmental, and cultural data on children aged 0–11 living in First Nations communities. Completed by primary caregivers, the survey addressed health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, and ear infections), nutrition, dental care, physical activity, emotional well-being, and exposure to residential school legacies. It was administered by trained local field workers using Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) systems. The instrument was designed to ensure culturally valid, holistic data collection that could be linked with community-level surveys to understand how individual child health is shaped by broader social and cultural factors.
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Designed for use in over 230 First Nations communities across Canada, targeting primary caregivers of children ages 0–11.
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Why It Matters
This questionnaire allowed First Nations communities to gather a comprehensive picture of their children’s health and environment, under their own governance. By documenting not only common conditions like asthma, diabetes, and ear infections, but also how often children took part in drumming or dancing, who taught them their culture, and whether grandparents attended residential schools, it captured a more complete story of childhood wellness. Questions on income, breastfeeding, traditional food warnings, and access to safe water further acknowledged the layered determinants of health. For Mi’kmaw and other First Nations, it ensured that local realities—like multi-generational homes, language learning, and the impacts of past policies—were formally recorded and could guide community priorities for health, education, and cultural programming.
Key Topics
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Physical and mental health, chronic conditions, injuries, and developmental milestones
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Language use, cultural participation, and traditional food consumption
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Access to health care, dental services, and supports for emotional well-being
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